Easy loading camera

ABSTRACT

In an easy loading camera comprising a film magazine receiving chamber formed in the camera body on one side of the film aperture and shaped to permit insertion of a film magazine having a film leader thereinto in one axial direction of the film magazine, and a film leader guiding means for guiding the film leader in between the film aperture and a pressure plate from one longitudinal edge thereof when the magazine is inserted into the chamber, there are provided first and second edge limiting members. The first edge limiting member is disposed in the camera body to abut against said one longitudinal edge of the film leader to limit its position in the transverse direction thereof when the film leader is introduced into the space between the film aperture and the pressure plate. The second edge limiting member is mounted on the back lid of the camera body so as to abut against the other longitudinal edge of the film leader to limit its position in the transverse direction thereof when the back lid is closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an easy loading camera, and more particularlyto a 35 mm camera improved to facilitate loading of a film magazine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various attempts have been made to facilitate loading of the filmmagazine into a camera. For example, in Japanese Unexamined PatentPublication No. 55(1980)-186577 there is disclosed an easy loadingcamera in which a film magazine receiving chamber body is provided to beexposed outside the camera body when the back lid of the camera isopened and the film magazine is inserted into the film magazinereceiving chamber by being axially moved through an opening formed inthe bottom face of the chamber body. In this easy loading camera, thechamber body is arranged so that the film magazine can be inserted intothe film magazine receiving chamber only in one direction and means isprovided for guiding the film leader in order to assure that the filmleader is automatically set in the correct position by simply insertingthe magazine into the film receiving chamber and closing the back lid.

In the easy loading camera, the film leader is caused to extend alongthe film feeding path and take a position suitable for feeding of thefilm by the film leading guiding means. Once the film leader takes theproper position, the film leader can be automatically wound around thefilm take-up spool by a winding-up operation conducted by a known filmfeeding means which engages with the perforations of the film leader anda known automatic film winding mechanism.

However if the film leader is inclined in the vertical direction of thecamera body, the film feeding means cannot correctly engage with theperforations of the film leader. Thus, means for automaticallypositioning the film leader in the vertical direction of the camera bodyis required. Preferably, the means is one which will not interfere withthe film leader in extending along the film feeding path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primaryobject of the present invention is to provide an easy loading camera inwhich the film leader of the magazine can be automatically positioned inthe vertical direction so that the film feeding means can correctlyengage with the perforations of the film leader.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easy loadingcamera in which even if the film leader is projected outside themagazine inclined in the longitudinal direction of the magazine, theposition of the film leader in the vertical direction of the camera bodycan be automatically corrected to a position in which the feeding meanscan correctly engage with the perforations of the leader.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an easyloading camera in which the above objects can be accomplished withoutinterfering with the film leader in extending along the film feedingpath.

The easy loading camera of the present invention comprises a filmmagazine receiving chamber formed in the camera body on one side of thefilm aperture and shaped to permit insertion of a film magazine having afilm leader thereinto in one axial direction of the film magazine, afilm leader guiding means for guiding the film leader in between thefilm aperture and a pressure plate from one longitudinal edge thereofwhen the magazine is inserted into the chamber, a first edge limitingmember which is disposed in the camera body to abut against said onelongitudinal edge of the film leader to limit its position in thetransverse direction thereof, and a second edge limiting member which ismounted on a back lid of the camera body so as to abut against the otherlongitudinal edge of the film leader to limit its position in thetransverse direction thereof when the back lid is closed.

In the easy loading camera of the present invention, the film leaderguided in between the film aperture and the pressure plate istransversely positioned by the first and second edge limiting membersupon closure of the back lid so that the film feeding can correctlyengage with the perforations of the film leader. Since the second edgelimiting member is moved away from the path along which the film leaderis guided when the back lid is opened. The second edge limiting memberdoes not prevent the film leader from being guided in between the filmaperture and the pressure plate.

Preferably, the second edge limiting member is positioned to abutagainst the film leader near the film magazine so that the position ofthe film leader can be effectively corrected without causing buckling ofthe film leader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an easy loading camera in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention in the inverted positionwith the back lid thereof opened,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but partly broken away,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing a part of the camera of FIG. 1,and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing another part of the camera ofFIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 an easy loading camera 1 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention is shown in the inverted position and a known 35mm film magazine is indicated at P. The magazine P comprises acylindrical body P1, film spool P2 and a tongue-like portion P3 whichprojects from the body P1 in a tangential direction thereof and throughwhich the film exit slit is formed. Through the film exit slit, the filmleader F of a predetermined length projects outside the body P1. Thephotographic camera 1 of this embodiment comprises a taking lens L, acamera body 2 provided with a known internal mechanism, and a back lid 4mounted on the camera body 2 by a hinge 3 near its upper surface so asto be swingable in the directions of the arrow A. On the right side (asseen in FIG. 1) of the camera body 2, there is provided a film magazinereceiving chamber 5 formed as a substantially cylindrical space openingtoward the bottom face 6 of the camera body 2. The magazine receivingchamber 5 opens at a portion of its side wall to form a slit 8 directedtoward a film feeding path formed between a pressure plate 17 and a filmaperture 9 formed in the rear face 7 of the body 2 (see FIG. 2). On theside of the aperture 9 opposite to the magazine receiving chamber 5 isformed a film take-up chamber 10. In the film take-up chamber 10 ismounted a film take-up spool 11 provided with an automatic film windingmechanism (not shown) which may be of known type. A fixed cutting blade12 is mounted behind the film take-up chamber 10. The fixed blade 12extends over the entire length of the film take-up chamber 10 andcooperates with a movable cutting blade 13 mounted on the back lid 4 tocut the leading end portion of the film leader F extending beyond thefixed blade 12 when the back lid 4 is closed. The portion of the rearface 7 of the body 2 near the bottom face 6 forms an inner guide member14 chamfered at the lower and upper edges thereof as clearly shown inFIG. 3. An outer guide member 15 extends substantially in parallel tothe inner guide member 14 slightly spaced therefrom and extends beyondthe film aperture 9. The end face 15a of the outer guide member 15adjacent to the bottom face 6 of the body 2 is substantially flush withthe edge 14a of the inner guide member 14 adjacent to the bottom face 6.The outer guide member 15 has a central opening 15b, and the pressureplate 17 is held therein supported on resilient arms 16a, 16b and 16cwhich are integral with the outer guide member 15. The pressure plate 17is provided with a recess 17a at the central portion of the lower (asseen in FIG. 1) edge thereof. A protrusion 18 is formed on the rear face7 of the body 2 below (as seen in FIG. 1) the film aperture 9 and isreceived in the recess 17a of the pressure plate 17. On the right sideof the body 2 above the film aperture 9 (as seen in FIG. 2) is disposeda film feeding device 19 having engaging pins 19a which are brought intoengagement with the perforations of the film. A tongue portion upperedge limiting member 20 is provided on the rear face 7 at about thecenter of the body 2 in the direction of its height near the magazinereceiving chamber 5. A releasing member 21 projects toward the outerguide member 15 below the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20(as seen in FIG. 2). Functions of these components will be described indetail hereinbelow.

On the inner surface of the back lid 4 are disposed a pressure platepushing member 22 formed of a resilient material such as spring steeland a projection 23, which are arranged so as to abut against thepressure plate 17 and the releasing member 21, respectively, when theback lid 4 is closed. The back lid 4 is further provided near the bottomside thereof with a film leader lower edge limiting member 24 in theform of an arm made of a rigid material. The back lid 4 is arranged tobe held in the closed position by engagement between a latch member 26disposed on the bottom face 6 of the camera body 2 and an engagingmember (not shown) provided on the back lid 4. The engagement of thelatch member 26 and the engaging member can be released by sliding aslide button 25 mounted on the bottom face 6.

Said slit 8 of the magazine receiving chamber 5 communicates with thespace between the inner and outer guide members 14 and 15, i.e. the filmfeeding path, and extends in a tangential direction to the cylindricalchamber 5. A portion 5b of the wall of the chamber 5 defining the inneredge of the slit 8 projects like a peninsula. Therefore, the magazine Pcan be inserted into the chamber 5 only in a position in which therecess behind the tongue-like portion P3 engages with the peninsula-likeportion 5b. The direction of the insertion of the magazine into themagazine receiving chamber 5 is thus limited and the magazine P is heldin place by the engagement of the recess and the peninsula-like portion5b. The inner guide member 14 extends from the peninsula-like portion 5btoward the film take-up chamber 10 in parallel to the focal plane of thelens L and forms the film feeding path between itself and the outerguide member 15. When the magazine P is inserted into the magazinereceiving chamber 5, the peninsula-like portion 5b pushes the filmleader F away from the body P1 to extend in the direction of the innerguide member 14 and the lower edge (as seen in FIG. 2) of the filmleader F abuts against the edge 14a of the inner guide member 14 to bestretched therealong and thus inserted into the film feeding pathbetween the inner and outer guide members 14 and 15. Thus, even if thefilm leader F is curled around the body P1, the magazine P can easily beloaded in the camera by simply inserting the magazine P into themagazine receiving chamber 5. The bottom face 6 of the camera body 2 iselevated in height toward the extremity of the peninsula-like portion5b, and the edge 14a of the inner guide member 14 merging into thesurface 5a of the peninsula-like portion 5 facing the slit 8 extendssubstantially horizontally or extends to slope down toward the left asseen in FIG. 2. Therefore, the film leader F can be smoothly stretchedalong the surface 5a and the edge 14a. Further, since the edge 14a ofthe inner guide member 14 is chamfered and rounded as shown in FIG. 3,there is no possibility of the upper edge f1 (in FIGS. 1 and 2, thecamera body and the magazine are shown inverted) of the film leader F orthe perforations p coming opposite to the edge 14a to interfere with theinsertion of the leader F into the film feeding path. The other edge 14bof the inner guide member 14 is also chamfered and rounded in order toprevent the edge 14b from snagging the lower edge f2 or the perforationsp when the magazine P is taken out from the camera. The engaging pins19a of the film feeding device 19 are also chamfered in a similar mannerto prevent them from snagging the film leader F. Preferably, all theedges having the possibility of coming in contact with the film leader Fwhen the magazine P is loaded or taken out are chamfered. The chamferedsurfaces need not necessarily be rounded and may be planar.

The film feeding device 19 is positioned so that the engaging pins 19aare retracted inwardly from the outer surface of the inner guide member14 (the plane indicated at α in FIG. 3). Therefore, the engaging pins19a do not engage with the perforations p, upper edge f1 or the loweredge f2 of the film leader F when the magazine P is inserted into thechamber 5 or taken out therefrom.

The pressure plate 17 mounted in the central opening 15b of the outerguide member 15 is positioned so that its inner surface is flush withthe inner surface of the outer guide member 15. Therefore, the filmleader F is free from interference on the outer guide member side.

The lower surface (upper surface as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) 18a of theprotrusion 18 received in the recess 17a of the pressure plate 17 isdisposed to abut against the upper edge f1 of the film leader F, therebykeeping the film leader F in the proper feeding position. Accordingly,even if the film leader F is drawn out from the film exit slit in thetongue-like portion p3 inclined downwardly (as reviewed in FIGS. 1 and2) with respect thereto, the film leader F cannot project beyond thesurface 18a of the protrusion 18. The protrusion 18 has sufficientheight to assure that the free end surface 18b thereof is positionedflush with the outer surface of the pressure plate 17 or outside theouter surface of the pressure plate 17 in order to prevent the filmleader F from passing between itself and the pressure plate 17.Therefore, when the film leader F is inclined with respect to the bodyP1, the upper edge f1 thereof is pushed by the lower surface 18a of theprotrusion 18 so that the film leader F takes the proper position. Ascan be seen from the above description, the protrusion 18 serves tolimit the position of the upper edge f1 of the film leader F. Theposition of the upper edge f1 of the film leader F may be limited byother means than the protrusion 18, for example, by a plurality of pinsprojecting from the rear face 7 of the camera body 2.

After the magazine P is thus inserted into the magazine receivingchamber 5 with the film leader F extending along the film feeding path,the back lid 4 is closed. As described above, the length of the filmleader F projecting outside the body P1 of the magazine P is generallysuch that the leading end of the leader F is wholly retained between theinner and outer guide members 14 and 15 when the magazine P is insertedinto the magazine receiving chamber 5. In this case, when the film isfed in a manner to be described hereinafter, the leading end of the filmleader F enters the film take-up chamber 10 by virtue of its curlingcharacteristics to be wound around the film take-up spool 11 by theautomatic winding mechanism. On the other hand, if the leader Fprojecting outside the body P1 is long enough to extend beyond the filmtake-up chamber 10, the leading end portion of the film leader Fextending beyond the chamber 10 is cut by the fixed blade 12 and themovable blade 13 when the back lid 4 is closed. Then the film leader Fcan be automatically wound around the film take-up spool 11.

As described above, when the film leader F is inclined downward asviewed in FIG. 1 with respect to the film exit slit, the protrusion 18pushes the upper edge f1 of the film leader to correct its position tothe proper feeding position. On the other hand, when the film leader Fis inclined upward as viewed in FIG. 1 with respect to the film exitslit, said film leader lower edge limiting member 24 pushes the loweredge f2 of the film leader F downward as seen in FIG. 1 to correct theposition of the leader F. The film leader lower edge limiting member 24is mounted on the back lid 4 and abuts against the lower edge f2 of theleader F when the back lid 4 is closed through a space 27 formed betweenthe periphery of the pressure plate 17 and the inner peripheral edge ofthe outer guide member 15 defining the central opening 15b. The filmleader lower edge limiting member 24 is positioned to abut against thelower edge f2 of the leader F near the tongue-like portion P3 of themagazine P so as not to buckle the leader F. Being in the form of a longarm, the film leader lower edge limiting member 24 can obtain access tothe film leader F before the leader F is held by the pressure plate 17or sandwiched between the fixed and movable blades 12 and 13, i.e.,while the leader F is still freely movable, whereby the leader F caneasily be moved into the proper position.

Generally the leading end portion of the film leader F is cut away toform a narrow tongue portion. In the case of a film magazine in whichonly the narrow tongue portion projects outside the body P1, the upperedge f1 of the leader F cannot reach the protrusion 18, and accordinglythe position of film leader F cannot be corrected when the film leader Fis inclined downwardly as viewed in FIG. 1. Said tongue portion upperedge limiting member 20 is provided for correcting the position of sucha short film leader inclined downwardly as reviewed in FIG. 1. FIG. 4shows the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20 and the mechanismassociated therewith. The tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20and the releasing member 21 are provided on a single L-shaped movablelever 28. The movable lever 28 is supported by a pair of pins 30 whichare slidably received in an elongated opening 29 formed in the lever 28to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rear face 7of the camera body 2. The movable lever 28 is urged toward the rear face7 by means of a tension spring 32 fixed to a projection 31 formedthereon. The movable lever 28 is further provided with downwardlydirected shoulder 33 having a rearwardly facing abutting surface whichis adapted to be engaged with an abutting portion 35 of a positiondetecting member 34 for detecting the position of the magazine P. Theposition detecting member 34 is pivotably supported on a pivot pin 36and is urged in the counterclockwise direction by a spring 38 fixed to apin 37 on the position detecting member 34. The urging force of thespring 38 is stronger than that of the spring 32, and accordingly themovable lever 28 cannot move rearwardly (rightwardly as seen in FIG. 4)when the abutting portion 35 of the position detecting member 34 abutsagainst the shoulder 33 thereof. The lower end portion of the detectingmember 34 obliquely projects into the magazine receiving chamber 5. Whenthe magazine P is inserted into the receiving chamber 5 the lower endportion of the position detecting chamber 34 is pushed by the lower end(as seen in FIG. 4) of the magazine P, whereby the position detectingmember 34 is pivoted in the clockwise direction overcoming the urgingforce of the spring 38. The movable lever 28 is thus permitted to moverightwardly under the force of the spring 32, whereby the tongue portionupper edge limiting member 20 on the lever 28 projects into the spacebetween the rear face 7 and the other guide member 15 as shown by thechained line in FIG. 4. The tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20is positioned so that the upper edge f3 (FIG. 1) of the narrow tongueportion of the film leader F lies on the upper surface 20a thereof whenthe film leader F is in the proper feeding position. If the short filmleader F extending through the slit 8 is inclined downwardly as viewedin FIG. 4, the upper edge f3 of the leader F will abut against the uppersurface 20a of the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20, wherebythe position of the leader F is corrected. When the back lid 4 is closedafter the insertion of the magazine P into the magazine receivingchamber 5, the projection 23 on the inner surface of the back lid 4pushes the releasing member 21 leftwardly as seen in FIG. 4 overcomingthe force of the spring 32, whereby the movable lever 28 movesleftwardly to retract the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20from the space between the outer guide member 15 and the rear face 7 ofthe camera body 2. Accordingly, the film can be fed freely without beinginterfered with by the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20after the closure of the back lid 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the positiondetecting member 34 is disposed to be brought into contact with thelower end of the magazine P at a level slightly lower than the level ofthe upper surface 20a of the tongue portion upper edge limiting member20. Accordingly, in the case of magazines having a film leader of theregular length or a longer film leader, the upper edge f1 of the filmleader F passes the upper edge limiting member 20 before it is moved toproject into the space between the rear face 7 and the outer guidemember 15. Thus, the tongue portion upper edge limiting member 20 doesnot interfere with the loading of a magazine having a leader of theregular length or a larger length.

When the magazine P is inserted into the magazine receiving chamber 5and the back lid 4 is closed, the film leader F of the magazine Pautomatically takes the proper feeding position. At the same time, thefilm leader F is pressed against a pair of rails 39 on the upper andlower sides of the film aperture 9 by the pressure plate 17 which ispushed toward the film aperture 9 by the pushing member 22 when the backlid 4 is closed. When the film leader F is pressed against the rails 39,the engaging pins 19a of the film feeding device 19 can engage with theperforations p of the leader F. Accordingly, when the film feedingdevice 19 is actuated by turning on the power switch of the camera ordepressing the shutter button, the film leader F is fed toward the filmtake-up chamber 10. When the back lid 4 is opened, the pressure plate 17is moved away from the film aperture under the resilient force of theresilient arms 16a to 16c to the original position in which its innersurface is flush with the inner surface of the outer guide member 15.

In the case of a magazine having a leader is long enough to projectoutside the camera body when the back lid is closed, the severed leadingend portion of the film leader must be drawn out from the camera bodywithout adversely affecting the light-tight shield between the camerabody 2 and the back lid 4. This can be accomplished by shielding theportion at which the camera body and the back lid contact each otherusing a teremp light shielding polyurethane foam or labyrinth seal (SeeJapanese Patent Publication No. 44(1979)-23785).

In the above embodiment, the back lid is mounted for swinging movementabout an axis extending along the upper lateral edge of the camera body.However, this is not essential and the back lid may be mounted forswinging movement about a vertical axis on the camera body.

In order to protect the internal mechanism within the camera body fromdust and the like, it is preferred that the opening angle of the backlid be limited. For example, this can be accomplished by swingablymounting the movable cutting blade on the camera body at one end, andconnecting the other end thereof to the back lid in a manner whichlimits the angle of the swinging movement of the movable cutting blade,thereby limiting the opening angle of the back lid.

We claim:
 1. A photographic camera comprising a film magazine receivingchamber formed in the camera body on one side of a film aperture andshaped to permit insertion of a film magazine having a film leader intothe receiving chamber in one axial direction of the film magazine, and afilm leader guiding means for guiding the film leader in between thefilm aperture and a pressure plate from one longitudinal edge thereofwhen the magazine is inserted into the chamber, characterized in that afirst edge limiting member is provided in the camera body to abutagainst said one longitudinal edge of the film leader to limit itsposition in the transverse direction thereof, and a second edge limitingmember is mounted on a back lid of the camera body so as to abut againstthe other longitudinal edge of the film leader to limit its position inthe transverse direction thereof when the back lid is closed.
 2. Aphotographic camera as defined in claim 1 in which said secondlongitudinal edge limiting member is positioned to abut against said theother longitudinal edge of the film leader near the exit slit of saidmagazine through which the film leader projects outside the magazine. 3.A photographic camera as defined in claim 1 or 2 in which said secondlongitudinal edge limiting member is a long arm-like member which abutsagainst said the other longitudinal edge of the film leader before saidpressure plate is pressed against the film leader during closure of saidback lid.